Greens say Hounslow Air Pollution plans are too little and too late

22 January 2018

Tony Firkins has replied to a consultation about theHounslow Air Quality Plan on behalf of Hounslow Green party. Hounslow has been an Air Quality Management Area since 2002. In 2016 the readings at four sites (Brentford, Chiswick, Gunnersbury and Heston) remained above the 40μg.m3 legal limit for Nitrogen Dioxide. Air pollution kills over 100 people in the Borough annually.

Tony said "The plan is very vague on what will be done to make a measurable difference to air pollution and when the changes will be made. Hounslow has had a plan to improve air pollution since 2005, but Hounslow is still over legal limits. Are we going to have to wait another 10 to 15 years for worthwhile action?”

“The council’s thinking seems to be at an early stage and is not joined up with recent National and London approaches to air pollution. The Hounslow plan looks very poor compared with these. It is too little and too late”

“The council seems to believe that there is no money and they have no authority to take any real action. The council need to be more pro-active and to be more imaginative.”

Victoria George, the Green Party candidate for Brentford and local campaigns co-ordinator said “If the Heathrow Third Runway is approved, traffic will get heavier and air pollution will get worse. We need the council to act urgently to prevent Hounslow becoming the respiratory illness capital of Europe. It needs to be easier and more attractive to walk and cycle, and public transport should be improved, so people don’t need to use their cars so much.”